Sandblasting a Painted Log Home...Anyone tried it?

flyingparks · April 11, 2021, 06:41:07 PM

Hey great people,

I recently purchased a house that needs some work. It's an old 50s log home with manufactured logs. The last owners painted it red. :/

I want to spruce the place up a bit on my weekends. It's a relatively small place: 800 sqft. I'm thinking about sandblasting the logs get the paint off. Then do a lot of sanding. Then stain it. Maybe even chink it for that nice curb appeal.

Has anyone sandblasted paint off of logs before? How did it work? I'd probably purchase my own sandblaster and do it myself. I'm not a painter or a sandblaster and I like to "stay in my lane" but since this is my own house and I will have time on the weekends to tinker with it, I would like some input from those are experienced. Thanks in advance. Love this forum.

GAB · April 11, 2021, 07:44:03 PM

Quote from: flyingparks on April 11, 2021, 06:41:07 PM
Hey great people,

I recently purchased a house that needs some work. It's an old 50s log home with manufactured logs. The last owners painted it red. :/

I want to spruce the place up a bit on my weekends. It's a relatively small place: 800 sqft. I'm thinking about sandblasting the logs get the paint off. Then do a lot of sanding. Then stain it. Maybe even chink it for that nice curb appeal.

Has anyone sandblasted paint off of logs before? How did it work? I'd probably purchase my own sandblaster and do it myself. I'm not a painter or a sandblaster and I like to "stay in my lane" but since this is my own house and I will have time on the weekends to tinker with it, I would like some input from those are experienced. Thanks in advance. Love this forum.

Concerning sandblasting logs I'd suggest looking into using ground corn cobs instead of sand. Some where some time ago I was reading an article that suggested using ground corn cobs as the abrasive for soft materials.
Concerning your statement: "I'd probably purchase my own sandblaster and do it myself." I suggest practicing in an area least likely to be seen by most. Some activities have a steep learning curve.
GAB

dogone · April 11, 2021, 08:51:35 PM

A friend bought six Lincoln log style cabins and moved them to his property. Then the work began. They had at least three coats of paint. The last one tourquoise.
Using a do it yourself sandblaster and all types of scrapers it took two years part time. It was a long hard job. They look great now.
He used every type of blasting material available.
Good luck

flyingparks · April 12, 2021, 01:48:04 PM

Thanks for the info guys!

Crusarius · April 12, 2021, 04:01:59 PM

What about a wire brush on an angle grinder? Alot of labor but my be cheaper in the long run.

Otis1 · April 12, 2021, 06:31:42 PM

In a previous life , I was a painting contractor on the Western Slope. I've hired sub-contractors to sandblast cabins like this a few times. Actually, as mentioned in a previous post it's usually a different medium like corn. I've also used the angle grinder/ wire wheel/ scraper method personally.

Both are very messy. The grinding/ scraping method is extremely time consuming, especially if you want to get in the cracks. I'd actually recommend a 36 grit sandpaper disc on an angle grinder to get started, you will use a lot of them. Depending on how smooth you want it, after the angle grinder, use an orbital sander with about 60-80 grit. Chinking afterwards will give you some leeway with how detailed you have to get.

I'm not sure if there's really a homeowner grade machine that you could purchase that would really get the job done. If you do try it, make sure to start in an inconspicuous place to get your methods down.

From my experience you will be better off if you hire someone to cornblast. It will obviously cost more, but the result is pretty good. I would make sure you/ they put tarps down to try to catch as much medium as possible, mostly for the mess but you may be able to re-use it. It will also require protecting all the windows and stuff you don't want blasted. You'll probably still get some medium inside the cabin through small gaps in trim and logs.

Either way it will require a good powerwash to get all the dust off. After that use a good exterior semi-transparent stain and it will be beautiful.

I would keep the window & door trim paint grade (but not white). That way you don't have to get to close to glass/ hardware.

Stephen1 · April 12, 2021, 09:14:13 PM

I believe that they use sandblaster but use dry ice or frozen co2. I read about it a few years ago. It melts and only leaves the dust. Empty the inside as the house and do it all at once.

flyingparks · April 12, 2021, 10:15:12 PM

I think you guys are right. might be time to bring in the pros. I may try the angle grinder approach first since I have one and some pads. I'll see how far I get. I have some neighbors that did it. it looks fantastic. Before their logs were painted green.

chestnut · April 13, 2021, 08:30:10 AM

I have a neighbor that did the corn cob blast on old barn paint and it turned out very nice (don't know the cost ). If you go the right angle approach, look up Osborne brush. I used one on an old white washed log house and it works good. Gets into the nooks and crannies better than a flapper sand disc.

flyingparks · April 13, 2021, 12:00:00 PM

THANK YOU

JRWoodchuck · April 13, 2021, 10:02:38 PM

Local brewery in town stripped the inside of and old building using crushed walnut shells as there blasting medium. Seemed to work really well.

kantuckid · April 14, 2021, 03:09:37 PM

Depends some on what your willing and able to do yourself and how deep your pockets too?
Some places rent cob blasters, not many I suspect.
Our log home I built in 1979 and we now still live in I refinished in 2015 by striping with chemicals and the sanding the entire 300+ logs with a 5" orbital sander. Not a fun job but it proved my 11/2014 repaired shoulder was usable :D. i told the surgeon at my 6 months check up I'd been holding that sander arm fully extended and all the way up a long ladder and he chuckled.
BTW, I still have the chemical scars to prove my work. Pressure washed it very carefully after the chemical. I used an Olympic branded stripper. I tried cob grit using a handheld sandblaster and was not a good result.
Yours being a one story building makes it far easier than my job was!

Joe Hillmann · April 14, 2021, 04:59:16 PM

Do you have a compressor that will stand up to the task. Around here they tend to use gas or diesel powered generators mounted on trailers designed to power jack hammers. If you try doing it with a typical homeowners or even a infomercial shops compressor you will probably burn it out long before the house is done.

kantuckid · April 15, 2021, 07:54:57 AM

Most portable AC's wont get close to doing a cob blaster-a rental goes along with that job using a cob gizmo.

flyingparks · April 15, 2021, 08:44:38 AM

I do have an industrial compressor. I have a guy coming to take a look at it in the coming days. As I stated earlier I have a full time job that I am good at. I won't be looking into sand blasting as a career change. I think the majority of you are correct. Me trying to take this project on with a "cheap" rig isn't the best idea. I may try a pressure washer on an area. Combined with what I like to call the sandy-grindy may be effective since it isn't a huge house. it will also give the uniformity to the logs a bit more uniqueness which would be cool. I could chink in between the logs so I wouldn't have to really get in there with the sandy-grindy. Now we're talking!

Stephen1 · April 15, 2021, 09:35:29 AM

Quote from: flyingparks on April 15, 2021, 08:44:38 AM
I do have an industrial compressor. I have a guy coming to take a look at it in the coming days. As I stated earlier I have a full time job that I am good at. I won't be looking into sand blasting as a career change. I think the majority of you are correct. Me trying to take this project on with a "cheap" rig isn't the best idea. I may try a pressure washer on an area. Combined with what I like to call the sandy-grindy may be effective since it isn't a huge house. it will also give the uniformity to the logs a bit more uniqueness which would be cool. I could chink in between the logs so I wouldn't have to really get in there with the sandy-grindy. Now we're talking!

Never pressure wash wood! it raises the grain and then you end up having to sand. It makes a mess of the wood. Use a cleaning compound and then scrup with a brush and hose off. I wash my logs off every spring after pine polen season with borax and water, I use a car wash brush, hose it off and then the next week I go around a see where a handfull of water is not beading up, that wall gets stained again then. I use a garden sprayer to apply stain,and back brush with the soft carwash brush. Simple, effective and inexpensive.

kantuckid · April 15, 2021, 09:46:59 AM

I did and I didn't raise the grain as i wash simply washing off the chemicals and mess not a hard spray. There is a means to use it if done properly. the sanding i did was to remove what the chemical did not.
But your correct and I stand by my job too. Web talk is wearisome at times... :D

flyingparks · May 03, 2021, 02:43:56 PM

Update: Guy wants $2,000 a day and thinks it will take 2-3 days. That was a little higher than I was expecting but I certainly understand the justification for it. Once the snow quits, I'm going to sand a little are and see how I do with that approach. I may just end up furring the logs out a little, put in some insulation and re-side the dang thing.

kantuckid · May 03, 2021, 05:19:59 PM

Put vinyl siding on it-the ultimate log home l ;D ;Dk?

flyingparks · May 03, 2021, 06:03:47 PM

hahaha. Vinyl siding. As much as I hate installing Hardie, thats probably the route I would go. The stuff is bullet proof if installed correctly. I have WM LT15, but no trees anymore. I'm hoping to get some logs dropped off. Then I would really be in business. IMHO vinyl siding should be illegal, again, IMHO. :D

Stephen1 · May 04, 2021, 08:42:58 AM

Quote from: flyingparks on May 03, 2021, 06:03:47 PM
hahaha. Vinyl siding. As much as I hate installing Hardie, thats probably the route I would go. The stuff is bullet proof if installed correctly. I have WM LT15, but no trees anymore. I'm hoping to get some logs dropped off. Then I would really be in business. IMHO vinyl siding should be illegal, again, IMHO. :D

My friend installed Hardie, told it had to be repainted after 10 years, for his 25 year warranty, got a quote to paint for 9K, he ended up putting vinyl siding on for 6K.
Nothing about a log home is inxpensive, especially when it has not been maintained.

kantuckid · May 04, 2021, 02:13:22 PM

Mine's been maintained and honestly said it was inexpensive. I worked for zilch but I felt good about doing that overall. :D

The Forestry Forum is an "interesting place" to talk up vinyl siding on log homes? I mentioned it as a joke. I stripped a solid stain off my log home using Lowe's Olympic stripper. Then I sanded it with my 5" orbital Makita sander over a couple of weeks. Had to buy an under $10 new velcro disc for it, still use it. As I'd mentioned, I did try some corn cob grit using my portable compressor and a handheld sand blaster which was ineffective. That blaster is one I had for AB work with a stationary compressor. The logistics were poor to rent a cob blaster so I did what I could afford that gave a good result. Never did vinyl siding enter my mind.
Few years back I read a local news article on vinyl siding. This journalist had hit something with a riding mower that had flown and busted some of her homes vinyl siding. She was amazed to learn that it was nearly a $1,000 repair to color match the siding for a small area of damage.

flyingparks · May 05, 2021, 10:08:26 AM

When I first started using Hardie, I ran into issues all the time. Being in a high fire danger area, it is more common than not to use Hardie. I believe that they have their manufacturing process down now, and if you follow their recommendations (which can be hard and expensive to do) you end up with a strong product that can last a lifetime.

We have a huge pine beetle problem here in the west and thus, millions of trees are being cut down. I'll send some photos when I can. I have a connection with someone to get these trees to my property so I will probably use them to fix the aesthetic issue of the painted logs. I'm more of a carpenter, not a sander. Not saying I cant sand...I just don't want to.

Vinyl siding isn't used out here very much. In my experience, it's rare to see it. In the few instances that I have seen it it's been when a client wants it all gone so they can sell their house, because "no one wants to buy a house with vinyl siding." Not trying to sound like a brat but that's just my experience. The process of making it and the act of sending it all to the dump hurts the soul. My opinion.

kantuckid · May 06, 2021, 10:21:48 AM

Over in Denver, Boulder, CS's, etc. there's probably plenty of that plastic stuff. I hear you on the dump thing. As I've played devils advocate you've taken it nicely, thanks! ;D I'm not real keen on sanding either (paint stripping is even worse) but I do what I gotta do sometimes...